Thursday, 29 June 2017

The Vice Principal of St. Mary’s Girls Grammar School, Ikole-Ekiti, Taiwo Ajayi, on Thursday bagged life imprisonment from an Ekiti State High Court for raping a 12-year-old student (name withheld). Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde said that the prosecution had proved the case beyond every reasonable doubt on the grounds of evidence placed before the court.

Ajayi, who was the vice principal, (Academics) of the college at the time he committed the offence on March 18, 2014, was found guilty of raping the minor, an offence contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child Rights Law of Ekiti State 2012.

Daily Trust learnt that Ajayi lured the girl into his office, locked the door from behind and raped her on the table while blocking her mouth with a cloth. One of the teachers knocked the door but the convict refused to open the door and warned the victim not to tell anybody.

Ajayi had earlier been suspended from service following his indictment by the two panels set up to investigate the matter after which he was arrested and arraigned to face the charge.

The prosecution was led by Mr. A.E. Arogundade of the Ministry of Justice while the defence was led by Mr. Sule Longe.

The convict was first arraigned in court on October 14, 2016 and he pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Declaring the judgement, Justice Abodunde said, “the cases of child defilement has been on the increase lately and to serve as a deterrent to others, my view is that the punishment stipulated by the lawmakers was deliberate to deter the offence and protect the right to dignity of the child.

“I am unable to deviate from the provisions of the law in this instant. The defendant is found guilty as charged and sentenced to life imprisonment.”